City Mediates Parking Feud

Church, Beachgoers Vie For Space

DEERFIELD BEACH — Worshipers on their way to pray are crossing paths with people toting beach chairs and coming away angry.

For years, members of Community Presbyterian Church of Deerfield Beach have complained that beachgoers occupy too many on-street parking spaces around the church.

``On Sunday mornings in season, we simply are battling the beach people for parking,'' said the Rev. Norman Dalton, pastor of the church, at 1920 SE Fourth St.

``Many people parking [to use) the beach have no respect for the church,'' Dalton said.

Parishioners ask, `` `Would you mind giving us until 11:30 [a.m.)?' '' Dalton said. ``I won't repeat any of the replies, but some were unpleasant. Some people just looked at you and said `no' and walked to the beach.''

Beachgoers say that parishioners have no special claim topublic parking spaces. ``That is public land, public domain,'' said Beverly Walzer of Boca Raton.

The city is working on a land swap that should increase parking for everyone.

Under the swap:

* The city will give the church exclusive use of public property that can accommodate 40 cars at Southeast Fifth Street between Southeast 20th Avenue and Southeast 19th Avenue.

* In return, the church will sell vacant land it owns at the corner of Southeast 19th Avenue and Southeast Sixth Street and give the proceeds to the city. Although parishioners have used that property for parking, it is zoned for a single-family home, not a parking lot. The land is worth about $117,000.

The city will use the money from the church to start a fund to build a multistory parking garage at the beach. If the land sells for $117,000, it would pay for about 19 parking spaces in the garage.

Deerfield Beach City Manager Larry Deetjen said a garage with 400 spaces could cost as much as $2 million.

But some beach regulars say the garage should come before the public parking is taken away.

``We love the beach, but parking is a problem, even for the beach people,'' Walzer said.

``The church is only one church, but the beach [is for) all the rest of the community,'' said her husband, Mel Walzer.

Jackie Duval of Coral Springs said less parking means more aggravation for her and less business for local merchants.

``When I bring friends, we will eat, visit, shop in the area,'' she said. ``If [parking) was a hassle, I'd not come. Then what?''

The garage is seen as the solution to a longstanding dilemma: How to allow businesses to expand when there's no room for additional parking to accommodate additional customers.

Earlier this year, the City Commission approved a plan that will allow businesses in the beach district to pay the city $6,000 for each parking space they need to expand. Merchants can spread the payments over a number of years. The city will issue revenue bonds to build the garage and repay the bonds with the parking-space fees.

Within 18 months, the city is expected to develop a Beach master plan that will determine where and when the garage will be built.

Although no businesses have pledged any money, at least five along the beach have expressed interest, Deetjen said.

``What we're trying to accomplish is a win-win for churches, which are important institutions. You want to do things to allow the church to grow,'' he said. ``From the city's perspective, we have a desire to see parking to serve visitors and residents in a more convenient location.''

The church, built in 1948, hasn't always had the parking crunch it has today, Dalton said. About 250 people attend a typical Sunday morning service November through April.

``During season, people come to worship and are literally unable to park,'' he said. ``People have had to drive away because they could not find parking.''